recreational vehicle

American  

noun

1. a van or utility vehicle used for recreational purposes, as camping, and often equipped with living facilities. RV

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recreational vehicle British  

noun

1.  RV.  a large vanlike vehicle equipped to be lived in

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Etymology

Origin of recreational vehicle

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Seeing America’s expansive landscape in a recreational vehicle has been part of America’s driving ethos for generations.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Ted Ancona and his wife, Valerie Mathews, have driven their 24-foot recreational vehicle on summer trips to the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains and to Albuquerque,where Ancona was born.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2025

She and her husband were traveling across the United States in a recreational vehicle while she worked as a wedding photographer.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

A recreational vehicle used by Thomas also became a source of controversy.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024

He said he was not just a car, truck, and recreational vehicle salesman—he was selling the American dream.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson